Since I live by New Orleasna I have plenty of chances to go to the National WWII Museum kn ow as the D DAY museum. Without a doubt, the first part of the museum is worth the trip alone, but when they opened the second part, well I'm going to TRY to describe some parts of it.
I was able to finally go and see it Thursday.
First Tom Hanks gives you a quick (5 minute briefing on what the world was like in America and other places in 1937-39).
Then you are let in the theater (LARGE IMAX type set up). With a lone 1939ish' am radio on the stage, next the narrator (Hanks again) explains just what was going on in America about that time in the dark days of the depression, Europe and the far east really making it hit home just how aggressive that Hitler, Mussolini and Japan truly were.
Next the radio starts playing music and an emergency broadcast starts about Pearl Harbor and the screens start showing footage on Pearl. (You barely notice that the radio sinks into the floor).
Then (I don't now how they though of this) but they bring you INTO the jungles while the Marines are under attack (this also includes Guam and the Philippines. The seat are rigged up to vibrate so when explosions are close you literally feel it in the seat of your pants!
They use excellent graphics and the world is seen from WAY UP hi and you sweep across the globe to other hot spots as Hanks narr, the action and world evnets with the appr. dates, Then zoon in the middle of battles. In Africa, you almost want to duck and wince when the tank battle is going on, because when they fire the sounds and effect are right on you. At one point when the tanks are rolling you feel it again (special effect, keyed to sound - outstanding). Then the tank rolls right over you, and you can't help but duck and flinch!
ONE of the most OUTSTANDING parts is the Battle of the Bulge, all of a sudden you are getting snowed on and the room gets a blast of cold air, they show some footage of them moving dead bodies (frozen stiff) that I've never ever seen before).
When they are starting the war in Europe they explain about the bombing mission and a 1/2 scale nose of a B-17 dropped from the ceiling and mates up with what is on the screen (rest of the plane) so all of a sudden you're now on a bombing mission, then the nose cone retracts in the ceiling and you're now in the nose cone as bombardier.
When the bombs fall on German you're at ground level and the screen shows flames, all of a sudden you feel the blast of hot air hit you.
When you drop the Atom bomb on the Japan (I expected this) the audience is hit with over 3 million plus candle power strobe and the then everything stays dark for about 30 seconds while you hear the sounds of the explosion.
The ending of the film and how we salute the veterans is so out standing you are choking up and tears fall freely, (Hell just remembering it I'm choking and tearing up).
When it's all over I clapped and everybody joined in, not for the production but for the men and women to gave us so much.
The sad part is when that is over, you reflect what we as a Nation truly did in saving the ENTIRE DAMN WORLD from Totalitarianism and oppression and now look at what’s become of our country, you want to shake your head and cry some more. I really don’t think we could do it anymore.
The PT boat related is as follows: They are restoring a actual PT bopatthat fough in the war and need help with donations and parts, as we as taking models of the other type of PT Boats that serves, PLEASE CONTACT THEM IF YOU CAN.
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/exhibitions/the-national-world-war-ii.html